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The Sacred Heart University men's basketball team hosts Wagner at 7 p.m. on Thursday on ESPN3. 

OPENING TIP

• Aside from this season's forfeit due to COVID-19 protocols, the Pioneers have won three of the last four meetings with the Seahawks. The two teams split last season after SHU took a double-overtime win, 86-85, thanks to 27 points from Tyler Thomas.
• Wagner enters Thursday after suffering its first NEC loss of the season to Merrimack which snapped a 14-game win streak. Due to the Seahawks' dominance, College Insider ranks them at 16 in the Mid Major Top 25. 
• Senior Aaron Clarke averages 16.8 points per game against NEC foes which ranks sixth in the NEC. Clarke posted double-figure scoring in all but one game across conference play this season. 
• Sophomore Bryce Johnson has stepped up in the last two games as he's contributed back-to-back double-doubles. Against Merrimack, Johnson led on the glass with a team-high 10 rebounds and an added 11 points.

TURNING THE AC ON
Aaron Clarke has been one of SHU's go-to's all season long. Clarke has posted 17 double-digit scoring performances this season, eight of which being 20 points or more. Against the NEC, the senior point guard leads the team in scoring at 16.8 ppg and in assists with 4.0 a night.  

TYLER T, MVP?
Tyler Thomas leads the Pioneers in scoring averaging 17.4 points per game and has posted double-digits in all but three games this season. In 11 of SHU's 27 games, Thomas led the team in scoring, including a season-high 30-point performance at URI. This season Thomas has accumulated six 20-point games and is jsut 68 points away from the 1,000 point mark. 

OKAY NICO
Sophomore Nico Galette has posted double-digit scoring performances in seven NEC games including a career-high 20 points at LIU. Galette boasts the second-most double-doubles with six and secured back-to-back double-double performances against St. Francis Brooklyn and Bryant. Galette's role has grown substantially since last season and is now one of the top rebounders in the league. The 6-6 forward is second in the NEC with 8.2 rebounds per game. 

FIFTH YEAR BEST YEAR
Graduate student Alex Watson posted his first career 20-point performance at Mount St. Mary's with a career-best 22 points. Watson shot 6-of-11 from the field and netted a career-high five three-pointers (5-8) as he led the team in scoring for the first time this season. It marked the third time this season that Watson notched a new career-high in scoring. In addition, the Pioneers are 5-4 when Watson puts up double-figures and 3-13 on the latter. Watson's 10-point performance in SHU's OT win at St. Francis Brooklyn was just the second time in NEC play that he hurdled the double-digit mark. 

ICY BRYCE-Y
Bryce Johnson has been on a role for the Pioneers as he posted back-to-back double-doubles. Johnson had a career game at FDU when he notched career-bests in points (22), field goals made (8) and free throws made (5). Johnson also tied his season-best of 13 rebounds in his first 20-point performance of his career. Against the Knights, Johnson shot a nearly perfect 8-of-9 from the field and the 6-6 forward also added a three in the process. The California native followed up with his fourth double-double of the season against Merrimack with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.